


Rely on you

by Hyrulehearts1123, sageclover61, ThallenCambricaltran



Series: Likened Water into Blood [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sam Winchester is Jack Kline's Parent, Soft Sam Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:07:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24104140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hyrulehearts1123/pseuds/Hyrulehearts1123, https://archiveofourown.org/users/sageclover61/pseuds/sageclover61, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThallenCambricaltran/pseuds/ThallenCambricaltran
Summary: Raphael just wanted to understand what was wrong with Michael's grace, and Sam had just wanted to keep them company even after midnight and a skipped dinner.Soft cuddles with their kid ensue when noises from Jack's room can be heard over the baby monitor.
Relationships: Jack Kline & Sam Winchester, Raphael & Sam Winchester, Raphael/Sam Winchester
Series: Likened Water into Blood [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1572451
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	Rely on you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Karategrl80](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karategrl80/gifts).



> Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Karate, happy birthday to you!
> 
> Love Clo, Hyrule, and Thallen.

“Sam, Sweetheart, I think it’s time for bed.”

It was late. Well after midnight. Raphael had lost track of time in the bunker’s library, trying to research what might be wrong with Michael’s grace. They weren’t sure how long it had been since Sam had turned the page, but it had definitely been awhile.

They hadn’t determined how bad Sam’s eating and sleeping habits had gotten in the time they had been deceased, but the bags under Sam’s eyes were far too large, and Sam had skipped dinner to keep them company in the library though Raphael had offered more than once to either make something appear or walk him to the kitchen. It wasn’t healthy, but Raphael didn’t want to push. 

Now that it was well after midnight and Sam did not seem far from falling asleep at the table, they decided it was time to push a little more than they had been.

Sam yawned. “Did you find what you were looking for?” 

Raphael shook their head. The odds that the Men of Letters had documented anything like what Michael’s grace was suffering from was improbable, and that they hadn’t found anything yet suggested they weren’t going to.

“We can keep looking.” 

The earnest expression on Sam’s face broke their heart. It had been at least an hour since Sam had turned the page of a book, and yet here he was, offering what he thought Raphael would want. They had forgotten how little Sam cared for himself, sometimes.

“If we haven’t found the information I’m looking for yet, I don’t think a few more hours is going to help much.” Even if it was going to, their search for answers had nothing on making sure that Sam was okay and healthy. “ I’m not surprised the Men of Letters doesn’t have information on rare grace diseases, but if any group had gathered such information, it would have been them.” Raphael wished that there had been more information on grace in Heaven’s archive, but there was only the minor details they had documented themself before any divergence from the original types had occurred.

Sam blinked. “Is there a greater parallel between grace diseases and blood diseases than beyond the parallels of blood typing?”

They shrugged. It would be worth researching, their healing knowledge didn’t encompass all the variations and intricacies of human blood. “A human doctor who specializes in blood is a hematologist, correct? My knowledge of healing for humans doesn’t really include such specialized knowledge.” Raphael had spent very little time in the lifespan of a human to research them in any medical capacity, and even less of that studying the intricacies of their blood. However, if there were any greater similarities, perhaps they could use human advances to further their own knowledge. It could even offer clues to Michael’s mysterious ailment. “Perhaps we can look for any hematology texts the Men of Letters left behind, after breakfast tomorrow.” Even if this idea panned out, there was no reason to hurry. Perhaps there was a time when they would have allowed nothing to stand in the way of their quest for knowledge, but that time had long since ended. Family was more important.  _ Sam  _ was more important. “Will you accompany me to our room?”

Sam nodded. “Okay.”

Raphael stood first, but they waited for Sam by the door as their mate pushed in their chairs and tidied the table. It was unnecessary, but they knew that Sam preferred this, so waited. As soon as Sam decided it was neat enough, he found himself at Raphael’s side, and took their hand.

They kissed Sam’s forehead before leading the way back to their shared quarters. “Do you feel like eating a light snack?” Raphael kept their voice even. With the difficulties they’d had lately with getting him to eat, they really hoped that Sam would agree, “I was thinking crackers, cheese, and maybe a white wine?”

“I’m not really hungry,” Sam said, after a moment, but it wasn’t a no. “I suppose a few bites couldn’t hurt.”

Secretly pleased, Raphael nodded. It wasn’t an especially fancy fare that they added to the room they were just now entering with barely a thought, but there were some high quality cheeses mixed in. Raphael was ready to get it set up however it might be easiest to convince the difficult man to eat, whether that was over at the window at a small table, or just sitting on the bed.

Unhurried, Sam selected one of the squares of cheese as he began pulling his shirt over his head. “Oh, wow that was good,” he said, with a small smile at Raphael. 

Pulling their own set of bed clothes/pajamas from the sets lying folded on the foot of the bed, Raphael joined Sam in changing out of their day clothes. Sam was further hampered and slowed as he kept sampling from throughout the platter as he did so. All around, Raphael thought with a warm feeling glowing inside them, it counted it as a win. 

Once their day clothes had been placed in the hamper in the closet, Sam slouched onto the bench at the foot of their bed with what remained of the platter. "Maybe we should check on Jack. He might try to fly again if he wakes up frightened."

"It was never supposed to be dark in Heaven, but I can remember young fledglings, afraid of shadows and afraid of the dark. With Michael and Adam also unfamiliar with this maze, perhaps we could add nightlights?"

Sam shrugged, setting the platter down. Raphael was pretty sure he was done with it, but their mate had made a larger dent than they'd expected him to. He turned, glancing at the baby monitor on the nightstand. With Jack's wings so damaged after his impromptu trip to Hell, Sam hadn't wanted to risk any possibility of missing Jack's nightmares or calls for help. "Should we have taken it to the library? What if Jack needed something?"

"Jack's fine, Sam. He went to sleep early and Gabriel said he'd keep an ear out while we were in the library. Are you done eating?" Sam nodded, so Raphael moved it to the small dining table next to the window, and then sat down next to him, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Do you want to go to bed?"

Sam glanced at the baby monitor again. "Not yet," he decided. He reached out to hold Raphael's hand. "Let's sit here a few minutes." 

Raphael looked around the room, before spotting a familiar book sitting on the nightstand. “Perhaps we could spend some time reading, and check on Jack after a chapter or two?”

“Okay,” Sam said after a moment. With Sam’s agreement, Raphael stood to retrieve the book. “Since we’re both so familiar with the story, could you start at Houses of Healing?”

“Of course.” Raphael returned with the book. They sat next to Sam and opened to the specified chapter.

_ “A mist was in Merry's eyes of tears and weariness when they drew near the ruined _

_ Gate of Minas Tirith. He gave little heed to the wreck and slaughter that lay about all. _

_ Fire and smoke and stench was in the air; for many engines had been burned or cast _

_ into the fire-pits, and many of the slain also, while here and there lay many carcases _

_ of the great Southron monsters, half-burned, or broken by stone-cast, or shot _

_ through the eyes by the valiant archers of Morthond. The flying rain had ceased for a _

_ time, and the sun gleamed up above; but all the lower city was still wrapped in a _

_ smouldering reek.” _

Raphael’s voice was soft, a familiar comfort that Sam had greatly missed, as he moved to lay against his mate, resting his head against their chest to better feel the rumble of their words.

All too quickly, they both found themselves becoming lost in the all too familiar world that the words of the story presented to them, but Raphael still kept an eye on their mate, smiling softly as they felt him slowly begin to relax, his body releasing the tension that it had held the whole day.

They were more than content to hold their mate until he would eventually give in to his body’s need for sleep, but the calm ambiance was interrupted by soft sounds coming through the speaker of the baby monitor that rested on the nightstand. It could be just Jack shifting around in his sleep, but Raphael knew that Sam would want to make sure the boy was still comfortable and settled in his sleep before he would finally be able to sleep.

Having finished the paragraph that they were reading, they closed the book, placing it beside them on the bed before moving to run a hand through Sam’s hair, fighting to not laugh as their mate only shifted closer to them, clearly trying to settle in for sleep.

“Sam, I think we should check on Jack.” They kept their voice as soft as they had while they were reading, so as not to startle Sam out of the relaxed state that he had fallen into. “If you want, I can check on him, and you can stay here and rest.”

Sam nodded, yawning as he pulled away just far enough to lay against the pillows instead of Raphael. “Come back soon, I wanna hear you read more.”

Chuckling softly, Raphael leaned forward to kiss Sam’s forehead. “I promise I’ll return as soon as I can, and make sure that Jack is perfectly fine before I do.”

Not wanting to stall being able to return to their mate any longer than needed, Raphael left the room the pair shared, closing the door softly behind them.

They walked through the halls of the bunker, headed towards Jack’s room, before pausing, and turning down another hallway towards the infirmary. It would be good for their own peace of mind to make sure that Michael and Adam were settled for the night as well, especially since there were no wards or spells to alert them to minor changes through the night. Yes, there were systems in place to warn them should something go drastically wrong, and either Michael or Adam were in danger, but smaller declines would not register until they had grown beyond a level of safety.

Both Adam and Michael were sleeping when Raphael entered the infirmary, and a quick touch of grace revealed that Adam had not suffered a noticeable decline since they had last checked on him. It was harder to tell with Michael. They were not ready to try touching Michael’s grace, the sickness to it was unsettling and they still could not be sure that it was not contagious.

Deciding that they could safely leave them to their sleep and check on them again in the morning, Raphael headed to Jack’s room.

Jack was awake, sitting up on his bed and stretching out his wings. They were the smallest wings Raphael had ever seen an angel able to consciously control, and stretched out in this way, they could see that they were still weeks from healing fully after the strain and injury caused by his impromptu flight into the cage after they had already been strained from his smiting of AU!Michael and subsequent incompatibility with the thoughtless transfusion of Gabriel’s grace.

“Hey, kiddo,” they said gently. “Wings feeling stiff?”

Jack looked towards Raphael. After a moment, he nodded. “And scratchy. It woke me up.”

“I might be able to help with that. Would you like to come rest with Sam and me?”

“Will you tell a story?” Jack asked, already hopping down from the bed and slipping his bare feet into his slippers. 

“Of course.” Raphael reached out, picking Jack up and settling the nephil on their hip when he came close. “Is there a particular story you’d like to hear?”

“The princess and the rabbit.” Jack pressed the toe of his rabbit slipper against the side of Raphael’s leg.

“I think we can manage that.” Raphael carried him back to the room they shared with Sam, telling the children’s story as they used just a touch of grace to settle the itch in Jack’s wings. It was a sign that they were healing, but it wouldn’t be good for Jack to scratch them, or for the itching to keep him from sleeping.

The light was still on in their room when Raphael stepped back inside it, but Sam had moved from the bench and climbed into bed, though he was still upright awaiting Raphael’s return.

“I think this small one wanted some cuddling time with dad,” Raphael said, putting Jack down in the middle of the bed, next to Sam.

Jack giggled, rolling over and wrapping his arms around Sam, giving Raphael easy access to his wings when they laid down.

With little more than a thought, Raphael turned the lights down, but not all the way off. It wouldn’t keep Sam awake and Jack was more comfortable when it wasn’t fully dark.

“How are you feeling?” Sam asked quietly as he shifted to lie down, and put a hand on Jack’s back to return the hug.

“Itchy,” Jack whined. “Stiff. I wanna fly!”

“I’m sorry, Bud.” Sam carefully rubbed the space between Jack’s wings to soothe him. “You need to let them heal. Might get stranded somewhere, otherwise.”

“A little bit of stretching might be good for them.” Raphael considered. “But not for a few more days yet, and nothing unsupervised.”

“But I wanna fly!”

“I know, but your wings are so small and yet they’ve already sustained so much damage. I’m concerned that too much flying before the protective covering grows back could lead to damage of the internal structures in a way that could lead to never flying again. We’re not telling you not to fly because we don’t want you to, we’re trying to keep you from hurting yourself so that you can still fly when they’re fully healed. Okay?”

Jack’s lip quivered. “Okay.” He shifted. “Will you finish the story about the Princess and the Rabbit?”

“Of course. Where was I? Oh-” Raphael continued telling the story about the Princess and the Rabbit, and both Sam and Jack fell asleep listening to Raphael’s lilt, a calm and static presence.


End file.
